Asian Legend
516 E William, Ann Arbor, MI, 48113
Asian Legend Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Ann Arbor for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Ann Arbor for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Ann Arbor for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
516 E William
Ann Arbor, MI, 48113 - Phone (734) 622-0750
- Website https://www.asianlegendannarbor.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Chinese Cuisine
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
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Enoch T.
The food was decent and comes in big portions. They do appear to use the same oil all day so it starts to get a burnt taste later on in the day but it's still acceptable. The complaints about service seem to stem from the fact that this place is like an actual Taiwanese restaurant where you just order off the sheet, get your food, and that's about it. It is nice that you can order just about any Taiwanese dish that's not on the menu and they'll make it.
(4)Janice L.
The food here is just mediocre. I like the pork scallions. However, I wish there is more pork in the dish. I am not a fan of the jalapeno chicken. Eating the jalapeno chicken is quite irritating because of the small sharp bones. I could barely even taste the jalapeno. I don't like their bubble tea. Asian Legend serves very mediocre food but ample portions.
(3)Lily W.
Okay here's something for old times sake. In college this was the place to grab cheap Chinese (mostly Taiwanese) food outside of China Gate (btw that shrimp stuffed eggplant still holds my 18 year old heart). Regardless, I ended up here on a spontaneous trip to the deuce with my bestie over the holidays. We decided to get (what else?!!) the pork chop rice. Ironically it tastes exactly the same as it did THREE AND SIX YEARS AGO. Which is roughly the time lapse between my last two visits. The thing is, I've had better pork chop rice in the interim but none of them have quite the same feeling of nostalgia. Hilariously enough I ended up with an egg and a half and a larger pork chop than my friend. He was bitter and I felt bad and gave him some of my food. Now that my friends is friendship! Besides I had to save room for another throwback at Insomnia Cookies #AboutThatLife
(4)Nan J.
Stay away from this place. You do not feel like being treated as guests, it feels like you eat there only to fulfill your duties of leaving generous tip despite of their smile free, communication free, less than basic services. The food is just so so. BTW, tip amount is pre calculated. Never try to challenge the female boss' authority.
(1)Jennifer T.
I was excited to find a Taiwanese restaurant in the A2 area. The food here was decent; the meat was very tender in all our dishes, however, flavors didn't taste like traditional Taiwanese dishes though. We got their famous wraps, imagine a wushu bun (soft and fluffy wheat bun), with some marinated meat and pickled greens, however, they also threw on some crushed peanuts. The ribs were super sweet, not to my liking, though the Szechuan people in our group seemed to like it, so maybe it appeals to different palates? The beef noodle soup was ok, but once again, not like a traditional Taiwanese beef noodle soup. The total, for only 2 appetizers, 3 entrees for lunch, was quite hefty, at over $60. Verdict = this is decent, not stellar, but may be the best Taiwanese in the area anyways.
(3)Ringo Z.
I am not talking about the get-the-business-done-no-chitchat bad Asian attitude. The waitress is mean and passive aggressive. And the food is mediocre.
(1)Kaifeng C.
The service is TERRIBLE!!! Omg... A table of customers just left, and the waitress kept talking how they asked for too much water but they didn't drank all them up. Gosh, she spoke so loud and in a bad manner. Come on, it's just water why can you complain that for like half an hour. When we sat down for less than 1 minute, the waitress came over to ask us if we're ready to order yet. We said we needed more time, but she came every other minute to check us up and spoke to us very impolitely and tried hurried us up. I bet she's going to complain how we took so long to place an order after we left. They also combined the carry-out (ordered for my friend) with our check, which we stated clearly to separate them. They want us to tip the carry-out as well. WTF!! We are not idiots, sorry. In one sentence: I will not visit this restaurant ever again.
(1)Jimmy C.
Yes, OLD LADY OWNER! ONE STAR!!! Man, if I were able to give you negative stars I would. Still ticked off at how rude you are. Talk about class. You bite when it comes to class. Don't ridicule customers about being classy when you are full of @#$@! Folks, do yourselves a huge favor and don't give this place a chance. Food is horrible. Service is plain rude! I'm out!
(1)Lindsey S.
This place is decent, more so on the good side or decent than the bad side of decent. It is super convient to where i work - thats what really led me here, i see why it is not pushed harder to eat at as a chinese place. the people are a little friendly, i think they really want to have chinese restaurant go-ers not so much american's. they have really good lunch specials - where you get a free egg roll or crab ragoon order with you meal. definitely would go here for lunch over dinner !! portion size is pretty good, its meant for one person, and comes in a little tray with the rice in it, cafeteria style. the brown sauce that comes with beef with vegetables isn't too salty, didn't make me feel like a puffer fish after i ate it. it wasn't THAT hot when i picked it up. i wouldn't run back here, if i was in a bind and it was cold out and i didn't want to walk and was in dier need of chinese food, id get it again. they dont take american express !! which is a problem for me
(3)Jemmie W.
First, let's just get this out of the way... If you are comparing this to the food you can get in Taiwan, you would projectile vomit. It's not even close. It's not in the same ballpark or even same solar system. Why? Because Ann Arbor, a small college town in the Midwest of America, is not Taiwan. Now that you have accepted that you cannot get Taiwan-quality food in Ann Arbor, the food is ok to pretty good: Stinky tofu: Ok. Inside is too hard compared to Taiwan (there I go again). Oyster/egg fry: Good but you need a microscope to find the oysters. Beef noodle soup: Good but needs more noodles. Noodles are like $0.25 for 100 pounds or whatever. They should throw more in. Yes, this place sucks compared to Taiwan or Los Angeles, but you're not in Taiwan or Los Angeles, are you? Find me a better Taiwanese place around Ann Arbor and I'll give this place 1 or 2 stars.
(4)Athena K.
Oh no no no no. this place is horrible. Why are you all giving it anything above one star???? the food is bland. The bathroom is disgusting with roaches all over. The meat is full of gristle. Gross. And the prices???? Totally over the top.
(1)Buortau L.
If you're ever in Ann Arbor and you're dying for authentic Taiwanese cuisine, then Asian Legend is the place. I drive all the way from Farmington Hills just to eat at Asian Legend. Basically, their "noo ro fan" is really good, and so is anything there.
(5)Alex M.
Rude service. If you don't know how to be polite to your customers, then you shouldn't be in the service industry.
(1)Xiao C.
great food, worth try out. I would recommend friends to come.
(4)Linbo Z.
Honestly, if this restaurant is located in Taiwan, it doesn't worth for 3 star. Most of their dishes missed the traditional Chinese standard, and were also not qualify as American-Chinese food. And they need more room for tables. It feels like dining in the elevator cabin.
(3)Christina K.
Main dishes are a little on the smaller side and cost 9-12 on average, although one per person is usually adequate. I like the variety they have; so many different dishes to explore. Onion pancake with beef: Crispy, flakey green onion pancake wrapped around thin slices of beef marinated in a soy based marinade. Has a few slices of raw green onion and hoisin-like sauce. Very good! It's the most popular appetizer. I like to ask for a little extra of the sauce they put inside the roll. Taiwanese egg noodle soup: The broth is light but very savory. It's identical to minced pork rice noodle/chow fun soup save for the noodles. Pork and green vegetable noodle soup: Probably the most popular noodle soup. Thin slices of pork and a yummy vegetable (xue cai) in a savory, light-colored broth. Nothing too extraordinary but a safe choice in winter when you want a basic noodle soup. Beef noodle soup: not really that into it. Not too much flavor, beef isn't simmered in the soup for a long time. It's not the spicy kind that's dark brown. Chow fun with egg sauce: Wide noodles covered with a goopy light brown sauce which has eggs, bok choy, chicken, pork stirred in. Pork chop or fried chicken over rice: Taiwanese breaded and fried pork chop or chicken (no bones) topped with a pepper mixture with a heaping side of minced pork rice. Crispy and slightly peppery. Black pepper pork chop over rice: A really bro dish. Fried pork chop smothered in peppery brown sauce with onions and green peppers over rice. Fish with mustard green and tofu: NOM. Sauce is reddish and is mild-medium spicy. Tilapia, silk tofu, and slightly sour mustard greens. Super popular among chinese people. Dunno how it sits with non-chinese people. Mapo tofu: If you have a korean friend, they'll probably get this. Eggplant with intestine: Fried intestine, brown sauce, thai basil, a little bit of sacha sauce Decent? Eggplant with oyster: Nommy. Dark brown sauce, fried oysters, slightly sweet. Eggplant with tofu: Why does everyone get this? Blah. Chicken with basil: kind of like their signature dish. Chicken (some bones) served in a dark brown, slightly sweet sauce with basil. Oh and if you haven't tried it before, try taro tapioca drink. Little clear chewy tapioca balls in a creamy drink with taro bits. :) The bubble tea isn't very good. Try Momo.
(4)Dingle D.
One of the few Chinese/Taiwanese restaurants in Ann Arbor that is both delicious and well-managed. First order of business is to disagree with most of the negative reviews here. While negative reviews are necessary for fairness and variety, most of these reviewers are ordering and reviewing non-authentic takeout dishes that should have been avoided in the first place. Ask for an authentic menu or bring someone who knows what they are doing. Also, you can ask the waiter for suggestions. There are a number of great dishes offered here that include Taiwanese Rice Noodles with Minced Beef, WuXi ribs, and Basil Chicken. The sit-down areas are clean and the wait staff is professional. The manager also runs the front desk/reception and is very nice and welcoming (unlike the owner at the now defunct Middle Kingdom restaurant on Main St.).
(4)Amy G.
I did not have high expectations coming into Asian Legend as I have not yet had very delicious Asian food in Ann Arbor, and as predicted my experience here was mediocre. I chose the lu mein, which in its most general form is basically a soup of flour noodles with stir-fried meat and a motley of vegetables on top. Among the entrees at the table, my noodle dish was especially large. However, the soup itself was a bit salty and too thick and starchy for my taste. Some of my dining partners ordered vegetable dishes, which came on very small plates and seemed sad and wilted in a sheen of oil. The zha jiang mein that two of friends chose appeared relatively okay, so maybe that is the way to go. I'm used to sub-par Chinese food at least coming at dirt cheap prices, but the prices here are just average i.e. $8-9 for a meal, so I wouldn't deem the restaurant worth revisiting. One pro is that they are very willing to split bills.
(2)Andy Z.
The beef roll is pretty good. I come here occasionally. The restaurant is a little small though.
(4)Hungry C.
One of the best American-Chinese food restaurants in town. I always get the nomiful orange chicken here, or the General Tso's chicken. The orange chicken here is quite unique, and in my opinion, they have the best orange chicken and General Tso's chicken in town. Those two dishes are not traditional in the sense that they are loaded with flower and extremely crispy with 10% chicken, but it contains a significant amount of chicken, and you can barely tell that the chicken is moderately fried. Both come with vegetables of some sort, so it doesn't make you feel too bad grazing on just chicken after a long day in the safari. TL;DR get orange chicken or General Tso's chicken, and you won't be disappointed.
(5)Javier G.
Average portions, average taste, slightly above average prices.
(3)Eric B.
Yeah, this is a one-star review. The staff doesn't understand the concept of vegetarian. Not having big chunks of meat in a dish make it vegetarian. When you tell me over and over that it's just brown sauce, think what brown sauce is made of... beef stock. Beef=animal friends. I had the mixed vegetables after asking if it was 100% vegetarian, and after my first few bites, I realized that the sauce was beef stock. I stopped eating the dish and shortly after I got that tinge in my stomach you get when something you haven't eaten something like this in a very long time. Won't be going back, and I urge the veggies out there to take caution before eating here.
(1)Raphael C.
This place has authentic Taiwanese food! Fried salty chicken is really delicious. Fried Stinky Tofu served with kimchi is also good. Taiwanese style Dumpling is also good. The beef noodle soup needs improvement and the soup base is just not that tasty. Overall, friendly service and some good taiwanese food.
(4)Cal C.
Pretty legit Chinese food! Been here twice, and haven't been disappointed. Recently got the pork belly (really fatty but really good too!), and also got the minced pork over rice with egg. Rice is flavorful. Definitely coming back for more Chinese food!
(4)Linda C.
My favorite Asian eatery on campus for both me and my family. Although my favorite on campus, this by no means is the best Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant I've ever had (coming from a Taiwanese girl who's been to Taiwan so many times she's lost count). I go there at least 2 times per month so I definitely know this restaurant well. FOOD: It's very rare to find Taiwanese food, but they certainly do a great job in trying their best to introduce Taiwan to the city of Ann Arbor. I've tried most everything on their menu and I love their basil tofu (GREAT basil chicken too... other known as san1 bei1 ji1... 3 cup chicken). I am a sucker for tofu dishes and they all their tofu dishes are amazing... mainly because they use really fresh good quality soft tofu. I definitely suggest ordering off their 'Asian' menu instead of the Americanized one even if the dishes sound a bit funky to you. Wu Shi Ribs is also another favorite among my family and friends. If you are in the mood for some Taiwanese style bento box, I would suggest the chicken leg over rice or fried pork chop over rice. Hearty portion for about $9 after tax. I also really like their newest additions to the menu... the hot plate steak or pork chop that's truly Taiwanese style. It is served on a hot plate with yummy noodles, small squirt of ketchup, and egg cracked right on top served sizzling to the table. PRICE: price is overpriced for the portion size... sad... but not a deal breaker for me for my favorite Chinese/Taiwanese food of the area. SERVICE: My family goes there almost every time they come into town to visit and they certainly take notice of their regulars. They are already really friendly in general but we've certainly got to get to know them on a more personal level. My parents are very into gardening and so are they! Because of this, they definitely value fresh produce. One time they were honest with us and told us their shipment of tofu was not very fresh and refused to let us order anything with tofu in it. OTHER COMMENTS: Owners are always in the restaurant themselves either cooking or hosting/waitressing... I think that's always refreshing to see.
(4)Halley S.
I ate here for lunch and it was decent. I had the sweet and sour shrimp and I couldn't even finish half my meal because there was so much breading on the shrimp. The staff was friendly and they kept our glasses full. The cool thing about the lunch special is you get a soup and an appetizer with your meal. It was a cool place to try out but I'm not sure I'd ever crave their food and want to go back.
(3)Jenn L.
I think the food here is good. The Beef Chow Fun is way too greasy, but otherwise I like the food here. I have been here at least 5 times. I think it's one of the top Chinese restaurants in Ann Arbor. This isn't saying much, because there are some very bad Chinese places here. One gripe about this place though is how high the prices are. If Yelp allowed half stars, I would give this place a 3.5
(3)Barack O.
Decent casual choice for a group of Asian friends. A lot of dishes on the menu seem unique to this restaurant, and most have a Taiwanese flavor that won't appeal to Americanized palates, for better or for worse. Service is fast and friendly. I have to dock a couple of stars, however, because the food quality was merely adequate, portion sizes were very small, and prices are way too high considering this restaurant is a half step above hole-in-the-wall.
(3)Mary L.
Food: bad Service: even worse So why even bother...? My husband and I went there one night, hoping for at least edible Chinese/Taiwanese fare. I had the stir fried vermicelli, and my husband had the beef noodle soup, and we shared deep fried tofu as an appetizer. All are very "basic" Taiwanese food, right? So for a place that claims to have Taiwanese food should do it right, right?? WRONG!! My vermicelli came very watery and soggy, even though it should have been "stir fried". The evidence of stir frying can only be seen by the amount of oil they used... watery but greasy... Really? And my husband's beef noodle soup was flavourless, he said the soup basically tasted like hot water with some salt. The tofu wasn't bad, but if deep-frying is the only thing you can do right, why do you still claim to be a restaurant? Many fast food joints do their fries well. I'm sure they just use the standard deep fryer. And it was overpriced too. What made our experience even worse was the service. The waitresses were fine, they were slow, but we at least got our needs met (just need to be patient), but it was the owner who made it one of our worst dining experience. Apparently, someone very rude came into the restaurant not too long before us, and the owner kept talking and talking and talking about that customer in a very bad manner... in Chinese, of course. I don't know if he thought a real Chinese who understand Chinese language wouldn't go there to dine or something, but he was loud, and used very offensive language to describe that ill-mannered customer, even before we walked in, through the entire time we were there, and I'm sure he still kept on going after we left. I understand you'd encounter some weirdos and sickos when you have a restaurant, but you don't have to show your anger to all of your other customers who happened to be there, trying to enjoy the less-than-mediocre food. I don't care if it was an off day for the place (and for the owner), but I will not return for sure. Never!
(1)Michael E.
I love Asian Legend. The food is Taiwanese, and unlike any Chinese food you'll find anywhere nearby. Particular favorites: Beef in onion pancake, shrimp and tofu, (ong choy (confusingly labeled "watercress" in the menu) , Beef Noodle Soup (a Taiwanese specialty), fried fish fillet...Actually, everything I've tried there has been wonderful. I particularly enjoy exploring the daily specials- sometimes the wait staff can explain what it is in English, sometimes not; I usually just take the plunge. I'd give them four stars, but every one in a great while, when they're very busy, the quality of the food suffers. If you do go there, do NOT order off the large Chinese-American menu! Order from the smaller menu, be adventurous, and if you're confused, ask your server for recommendations. One curious thing about the other reviews- people seem to love, or hate Asian Legend. I've noticed that while they're usually first rate, every once in a while they screw up. I went one evening with friends we'd bragged to about the place, and food was... well... awful. The usually light and crispy tilapia was gooey and covered with glop. The WuXi ribs were pieces of fat and gristle. If this happens to you, send the offending dish back. But 99% of the time, they're absolutely wonderful.
(5)William C.
I came here for the first time with my parents who grew up in Taiwan. They liked all the dishes that we ordered which I took as a good sign. We had the mapo tofu, stinky tofu as well as a few other dishes that I can't remember. Everything tasted good and came off the one page Taiwanese menu (so I'm not sure about their Americanized Chinese food). Since that first experience, I have been back a number of times. I like the pork chop over rice and the salt and pepper chicken. The chicken had a lot of gristle (I don't think that was a negative though), making the pork chop easier to eat. If you're into trying new foods, I would definitely try the pig feet but make sure to balance the meal with lighter veggie dishes. I wasn't a fan of their bubble tea which I thought was overly sweet and artificial tasting. But I was satisfied with the overall dining experience. Many people on here have complained that the food is too greasy and salty but when I lived in Taiwan for 3 months, I found that the street food was also greasy and salty. Also, it's in Michigan so its obviously not going to compare to the real deal.
(4)Elaine W.
Decent Taiwanese food. Don't come in here expecting anything spectacular though. Ordered Taiwanese cabbage (it's like Napa cabbage) & this melon shrimp and tofu dish. My tastes when it comes to Chinese food are simple, and both dishes were okay I suppose. Not particularly tasty but it was solid (and non-Americanized). I guess in Ann Arbor you can't ask for much more when it comes to Chinese food?
(3)Jonathan Q.
I first got my mango drink if was decent i believe they couldve made it better but thats not the whole review...i was with my ex..yea lol my ex but i got a beef stew it came wit beef broccoli eggs? And rice well it was bad honestly...it came too satly not the usual beef stew i will get at a usual place...but i.dont recommend it...i dont know their other dishes but this one wasnt good sorry...they all seem nice and everything but still this is my review of them.
(1)Angel V.
Had the Chow fun with egg sauce recommended by waitress to add soy sauce and hot chili pepper sauce (delicious) , I thought it was delicious, but I'm no expert at all in Asian-cuisine. The staff is really friendly and the owner even came up to us to greet us! Crab rangoon was delicious with the natural sweet-sour sauce and hot mustard (not the little packet stuff).
(3)kim w.
Yummmmmmm Taiwanese food made yummy. It was good, but maybe we were just really hungry from all the walking and trying to find a decent place to eat that was not something deep fried, a sandwich, or burgers. This place was just right. We had stir fry Rice Stick noodles, some kinda beef burrito, and stick noodle soup. All were good, I wished I could come back to try other things. I heard their boba was good, but i didnt take a sip of it. All that fed 4 people perfectly.
(4)Helen L.
I love this place! I can't believe they have authentic Taiwanese food here. I've ordered so many dishes here and pigged out. Oyster omletet, steam dumplings - which they made it the way I like it, not sweet and have the right vinegar and ginger sauce. Beef warpped in onion pancake was pretty delicious. Beef noodle soup is better than best china's. Taiwanese style- stir fried clear noodle is very tasty. Bitter melon w/ pork - regular. Yeah... this place is a must try! they even have boba drinks.
(5)Michael R.
I am a blond-haired, blue-eyed white boy, but I've eaten a lot of awesome Chinese food in my day. Asian Legend is definitely first rate. Since I've been in Ann Arbor, I've been muddling through TK Wu, Chia Shiang, and a couple of other Chinese places that, frankly, haven't measured up. There's a decent dish here and there, but when we walked into Asian Legend for the first time, just looking around at the food on the tables, we knew we were in the right place. Our hostess guided us back to a two-top in the back of the restaurant. We passed a table that had a plate with noodles piled high and asked her, "what's that?" "Chow fun with beef." "One, please." Looking over the menu riddled with Chinese characters (and helpfully translated to English), we added eggplant with garlic sauce and pan-fried pork dumplings. I'm a sucker for dumplings, and I eat a lot of them. If I ever go to China, headlines in newspapers across the country will read "Dumpling Prices Soar to All-Time High Amid Shortage". But I have to say, they turned out to be the weak point of the meal. Not bad, but for the best in AA I recommend the steamed dumplings at Mis Saigon (I know, Vietnamese, but trust me, the dumps there are homemade and rock the house). The Chow fun was fantastic -- nice wide noodles that were delicate and easy to eat. Beef was slightly chewy, but the sauce was delicious. Eggplant's sauce was even better, a zingy, gingery treat. The surprise of the night was the General Tsao's Chicken, which we ordered, a little bit against our better judgment, from the all-English menu. But it was FABULOUS -- smalls shreds of chicken came without the usual 2-inch thick coating of batter, and with a perfect glaze that was sweet and spicy. It, like the rest of the meal was hoovered up in no time flat. Can't wait to go back.
(4)Emily L.
I've been to this place twice and was sorely disappointed both times. Both times the fried pork cutlet was at least 60% gristle. Basically, only two pieces the size of a chicken mcnugget were edible. I don't complain very often to servers in general, but I had to point this out to the server. She responded that there was nothing she could do about it; it was the luck of the draw and sometimes I'll get a piece with more fat on it. Are you freaking kidding me? The lu rou fan (rice with a sauce made of ground pork and some bits of fat) was pretty bland. The potstickers were just frozen dumplings that were pan-fried and floppy. Save yourself the money and buy frozen dumplings from a Chinese grocery store and pan-fry them yourself. They'll taste better too. The Chinese watercress stir-fried with garlic was okay, although too salty and goopy, and this is another dish that you can easily make yourself. The niu rou bing (beef wrapped in a scallion pancake) was okay too and probably the best part of the meal, but still pretty bland. I'd give two stars to the niu rou bing, but everything else sucks, bringing Asian Legend back down to one star. Am I biased because of my heritage and the fact that I lived in Taiwan for a year and a half after graduating from college? Maybe a little, but it wouldn't be fair to water down my review. As Yelper Fen Z. said, this is bastardized Taiwanese food. If you want amazing 5-stars-on-Yelp Chinese food, drive to the REAL Asian Legend in Ontario. That's right, this place even ripped off the name of a restaurant with legitimately delicious food!
(1)Chiwei L.
I have been going to this place off and on for many years. It was actually located in westland until the owners realized all their cliental were Taiwanese students from Ann Arbor. That should say something right? I will definitely agree that compared to real taiwanese food, this place is more homestyle, but not amazing. That being said, you can have a rather tasty meal here. The chicken basil clay pot is a real star, full of some really amazing flavors. (Granted if the salt shaker was used instead of salt could be an issue.) The bitter mellon with pork was nice and comforting. The fried pork cutlet was crispy and seasoned well, if a bit fatty. The beef wrapped scallion pancake and beef noodle soup are just ok. Anyway, in my opinion, worth the experience.
(4)Wei O.
Probably the most authentic Taiwanese food around Michigan. From appetizer, rice/noodle combo dish to main entrees, there are plenty of authentic dishes to choose from. Tho i wish they serve more of the typical Taiwanese street food as appetizer. Some of my favorites include the onion pancake with beef appitizer, the pork chop over rice, hor fun with egg sauce and tofu entrees. Tho i wish the salt and pepper chicken are boneless pieces. The price is awesome for the HUGE portion you get. I dont suggest the bubble tea here tho, can be too sweet at times and the bubbles were kept overnight instead of freshly made. Overnight bubbles are not as chewy and feels more gooey. Also remember to check out their daily dishes written on the board or attached at the bottom of the menu.
(4)Irene L.
When Asian Legend first opened, I was SO EXCITED to be able to eat Taiwanese food in Ann Arbor. My family even came to visit just so we could eat here. Overall we were pretty disappointed with the experience. The scallion pancakes were overly thick and had a blistered exoskeleton from being deep fried(???) or something. Never have I seen or eaten a scallion pancake that looked like this. The niu ro bin was ok flavor-wise, but the scallion pancake wrapped around it still sucked. The Chinese watercress w/ garlic is good, but like Emily H. said..... it's hard to mess up such a simple dish. The fried pork cutlet was mostly gristle. Mmmm....fried gristle : | I didn't have the dumplings, but my sister said that they tasted like frozen dumplings. We ordered some other dishes, but I can't remember them at all; they must not have been that good. Oh yeah and the bubble tea was really gross. The tapioca balls were still hard in the center and not "Q" as they say in Chinese. Apparently I wasn't convinced that it couldn't suck so bad because I returned a number of times... Each time I felt incredibly remorseful and idiotic that I wasn't spending my money on something more delicious. Service is ok.... although this one waiter was ridiculously patronizing when my friend (Caucasian) commented that one of our dishes was too salty, "This dish is meant for the Asian palate which you're just not used to." Or maybe, just MAYBE, it was so salty that not even the hardiest strains of bacteria would survive if they were inoculated into the dish... It's been over half a year since I've been there, so I think it's safe to say that I've finally learned my lesson not to settle for crappy Taiwanese food. I can make my own scallion pancakes, dammit!
(2)Alan W.
I give it a 4 star only because this is the only solid Chinese restaurant on Campus and it is the only Taiwanese Restaurant here. It is not an amazing place, but I like the feeling of going to a chinese restaurant and feeling like I'm at one.
(4)Valerie B.
I love the Taiwanese snacks! Favorite Chinese/Asian food in Ann Arbor for sure.
(5)Emily H.
There are certain things to get here and certain things not to get here. The onion pancake with beef (niu ro bin) are REALLY good and almost have my mom's homemade taste. The chinese watercress is also pretty good, but its hard to mess up something that is simply stir fried in peanut oil and garlic. What NOT to get: the fried pork cutlet on rice (lu ro fan) is pretty bland and oily and the beef noodle soup had almost no flavor. I was kind of sad, since two are basically my favorite traditional Taiwanese dishes. Service is pretty good, but that is probably because I can speak Mandarin. That said, I've been there maybe 4-5 times and I'd probably go again. It fills a niche for Taiwanese food on campus, could do better, but sometimes you just really can't cut the craving for onion pancakes.
(2)Lujun F.
Basil chicken is quite good.
(4)Ben W.
Tried the beef "Onion Pancake wrapped w/ beef" (niu2 rou4 juan2 bing3), which was pretty tasty. Hot fried pancake with chilled soy-marinated beef (lu3 rou4) on the inside. They were out of their watercress. After reading all the reviews on this, I finally realized that this is kong1 xin1 cai4 (hollow center vegetable). Instead I got "Taiwanese Cabbage w/ garlic" (gao1 li2 cai4), which was pretty run-of-the-mill. Service was below par as above, the 2 dishes came out about 15 minutes apart. That said, the restaurant does have a flavor that brings back a Formosan nostalgia.
(4)ying l.
The quality of the food in this restaurant have declined rapidly over the last 12 months. I walked in for a bowl of beef noodle at lunch time today, the soup (which is one of the main ingredient) tasted like tap water. The check was brought to my table before I was done eating- basically it is saying "hurry up and finish", mind you there were only three tables filled in the restaurant at that time. Go there once to satisfy your curiosity, but if you are looking for good asian food, like me, you will not be heading back anytime soon. 10 dollars for lunch can buy you much more around ann arbor campus-downtown area.
(1)Weihao L.
This place is a little over rated, the food is decent but not great. I'm Taiwanese and I think they serve some ok Taiwanese food. I've tried their chicken leg over rice and shrimp pan fry,mainly cause I don't like oysters. They also serve Taiwan night market steak. Everything is a bit over priced and they taste nothing like anything you can get in Taiwan. But in this region of the world where good Taiwanese food is next to non existing, this place will definitely help your crave a little. It's like water in the desert, as long as it's water you won't care as much.
(3)T T.
my first taiwanese food experience. Still nothing's comparable so far. I love their pork chop with rice, beef roll, soft shell crabs with basil, deep fried intestines. Not a big fan of lambs and basil, too smelly. Ask for their special foods, they not written in english :) Good service too. Such a nice place in Ann Arbor.
(5)Jess L.
I was underwhelmed. Granted, my folks are from Taiwan and thus I'm sorely biased, but I remember hearing raves from my Chinese friends about this place, going, and...feeling let down. Scallion pancakes were greasy and cold--and also tasted like they were bought from the local Asian grocery. Wuxi ribs were overly salty, and it was hard to find any meat! When I want good Taiwanese and I'm nowhere near home, I'll probably take my business to Momo Tea.
(2)Yu W.
I'm from CA. My friend brought me here when I visited him this March. It's crowded, which shows its popularity, and I even happened to meet my high school classmate here. Recommend [Wuxi ribs] and [Three Cup Chicken].
(4)Kate B.
I visit Asian Legend a few times a month and have never had a bad meal. The owners are very friendly and readily explain dishes/make recommendations if you want to sample one of the daily specials (they aren't written in English, so you'll need to ask for a translation if you can't read the characters.) I've never ordered off of their standard book menu, but only off of the smaller print menu. My favorite dishes are: Lamb with basil (seriously addictive!) Wuxi Ribs Taiwanese Pork Dumplings Onion Beef Pancake Pork and Salty Cabbage Noodle Soup Watercress with Garlic (great flavor and texture!) I've also tried their Szechuan fish and it came out of the kitchen moist, flakey, spicy and delicious - not too heavy on the peppercorn, just the right amount of numb/burn.
(4)Ivan J.
One of the best taiwanese food you can find in ann arbor. Chow fun with egg sauce is great! Service is pretty consistent (not that special, but by far the have the best service for chinese restaurant in ann arbor). Food is not as good as taiwanese food in big cities like SF or LA, but this is ann arbor, if you can find me any better taiwanese restaurant, i'll edit my rating. Overall one of the good one!
(4)Jonas L.
Many people have listed Taiwanese food as a selling point of this place. But if you had authentic Taiwanese food, you'd know this place is at best a poor imitation. The minced pork meat that top rice, for example, is as bland as it gets. Properly red-cooked minced pork would have a complex flavor, helped by some appropriate doses of fat. The fried pork cutlet is equally disappointing in its lack of crispiness and simplicity in flavor. It is probably true that this is the best Taiwanese food in the area, but that is like saying Detroit is the best major city in Michigan. Winning by default is cheap. (Asian Legend, on the other hand, is not so cheap...)
(3)Wing C.
The best Taiwanese food in Ann Arbor!
(5)o o.
I heart the Chinese Watercress with garlic.... wait... in fact I heart every dish. Everything, I've sampled here is good, if not, great...hmmm... but not awesome. I'm still looking for my Melisa's of the midwest or something that can compare to the Asian joints of SF. I must say Asian Legend does come semi-close! I eat here weekly but I might have to start eating here daily, did I mention how much I love the watercress? Maybe it's because it reminds me of my favorite Khmer dish, Morning Glory with ginger! I love the atmosphere but just to warn you there really isn't much of it... and the servers always have a smile... actually, they remembered me after only dining there once... so I guess unlike other reviewers....I have never had a problem with the service but maybe that's because I'm a regular. All in all a good Taiwanese restaurant!
(4)Guillermo K.
Pretty good Chinese -- for Ann Arbor. Probably one of the best in town. Get the cold sides. It doesn't take you all the way back to Taiwan, but maybe to a second-rate place in Flushing (NYC). And on most days, that's good enough.
(4)F Z.
Asian Legend (AL) bastardizes not only the concept of Taiwanese cuisine but Taiwanese street food as well. Don't get me wrong, the eatery is designed to mimic a snack place and does so nicely. However a restaurant's decor and ambiance should not make up for all that it lacks in the flavor department. Hot tea was immediately brought to our table followed by paper menus. The crispy shrimp rolls were a fairly nice start to our meal, as they had the perfect crispy texture encapsulating the distinct flavor and juices of the decapod crustaceans. But things slowly started heading south from there. AL spawned dishes that would have insulted my Taiwanese friends had they accompanied me. The minced pork over rice (lu rou fan) was utterly bland. Not enough soy sauce could have possibly fixed the damage. The chicken with basil (san bei ji) was served in a claypot and looked delectable. Too bad the chef had mistaken the salt shaker for the sugar shaker leaving us with a casserole version of honey chicken -- with no hints of basil. Lastly, the salt and pepper pork chops. Again, deceptively tantalizing-looking at first, but underneath all that breading were large chunks of pork fat. Our waiter was attentive but also impersonable. We must have exuded an invisible air of touristy, but chances are, if you're a regular, you'll receive better treatment. Also, the air vents inside this place are built smack dab in the middle of the small walkway leading back to the restrooms. I recommend sidestepping them when wearing a skirt/dress so as to avoid an embarrassing episode.
(2)Clarence C.
It's easy to miss, but a good place to get Chinese and Taiwanese food downtown. I think the cooking is more authentic than what you get at Middle Kingdom. Certain dishes remind me of the food I ate when I lived with a Chinese family for a while, way back when I was a freshman in college. The staff seats you quickly and gives pretty good service, even when the restaurant seems to be busy. I tried the shrimp in lobster sauce yesterday and it seemed a little heavy on the sauce (on the sloppy side), but pretty tasty. The sweet and sour shrimp is good too. A strange thing I've noticed about Asian Legend is that the fortune cookies are more epigrammatic than fortune-telling. I always leave feeling very satisfied with the food, but not knowing much more about the future than I did when I came in.
(4)ER D.
i initially gave it a 1 star, but on my 2nd visit. I changed my rating. And the following are the pro and Cons. First of all, the stinky tofu SUCKS... and way over priced. I can understand if you price something high since you're the only one that attempts to make Taiwanese cuisine in Ann arbor. However, it's one thing to have good food and monopolize your price in the Midwest, it's another thing to have bad food AND overpriced. Secondly, it's beef noodle also tasted like instant noodle, and again, over priced. Interestingly, on my second visit, the quality improved drastically. So i'm willing to give the kitchen a Bad day during my first visit. What brought the rating up is the Beef Wrap (appetizer), but the oyster cake is marginal at best. That being said, I was going to give it a 3 star, but in downgraded to a 2 star because NO CHINESE/TAIWANESE RESTAURANT IS GOOD UNTIL THE RICE IS AUTHENTIC! One of the biggest flaw of this restaurant is serving American rice when they can easily get high quality Taiwanese rice just down the street from the Chinese market!!! and about the authenticity... it's marginal at best. let's just say this restaurant will not last a week in a place where chinese/taiwanese population is abundant.
(2)Yvonne S.
Pork chop over rice has been one of my favorite Taiwanese dish. (Yes, I am born and raised in Taiwan.) The pork chop is breaded and fried similar to a Japanese katsu or a German schnitzel. It's usually served with ground pork sauce over rice, some kind of leafy vegetables, a piece of tofu, and a cooked egg. It sounds really protein heavy but of course you'll find this in much, MUCH smaller portion in Taiwan. I finally just couldn't resist my longing to such a dish and decided to give Asian Legend a try after reading other reviews. When we arrived, we were given a paper to mark our orders instead of menus perhaps because of our obviously Chinese appearances. Not a problem, I wasn't there for orange chicken or beef and broccoli anyway. We got the pork chop over rice, oyster "pancake" (another classic Taiwanese street food), and beef in onion pancake. Oyster pancake costs probably 5 times more than what it usually costs in Taiwan and is not as good. Beef in onion pancake is missing some flavors both in the beef and in the onion pancake. Good thing they packed in some raw green onion to boost the flavor. Now onto the main item-- the main reason for my visit: The pork chop over rice IS GOOD! The only negative thing was that I wish they used stir fried cabbage instead of the pickled stuff. With that said, I thought the flavor in the breading was true to what I expected. We were lucky that our pork chop is mostly meat with just a tiny bit of fat in one small piece. It's a bit thicker than what I normally get in LA but it's very tender and well seasoned. There was plenty of meat sauce over the rice. The egg was cooked long enough in soy sauce with spices so the flavor was infused into the yolk--just the way I like it. So overall, I believe I will come back again just for this dish.
(3)Joanna L.
I would give this place 2 stars if I were a little meaner, but as someone who knows the owners (which makes it worse) and has seen this restaurant at it's previous location in Livonia... I know that they have not improved a thing. My mother used to be a chef and offered recipes and suggestions to the owners on how to improve their food... but unfortunately they did not take any of the suggestions into consideration and their supposed top "Taiwanese" dishes suck horribly. If you have ever EVER had true Taiwanese food, you will know that this is not even close. The oyster pancake and scallion pancake taste like they've been slopped together. The service is pretty awful and the place has a gross ambiance. Furthermore, the menu prices (although some are good) are slightly overpriced. Yes, it is another place besides TK Wu, but if you're willing to say it's very good, it's because you've been starved of true Taiwanese food for way too long. I guess it's good for what it is. Try the fried tofu cubes, that's the best dish.
(2)Deb H.
As an American expecting what I would expect at a good Chinese restaurant, I am never disappointed at Asian Legend. I am FREQUENTLY disappointed at the other Chinese restaurants around Ann Arbor. This is the best one I've found so far...
(4)Nupur L.
Asian Legend has the tastiest Chinese and Taiwanese food around campus. I went twice in two days and took my parents on graduation weekend-that's how much I like it. Vegetarians should have a lot to be happy about, as they make superb Szechuan tofu, tofu with basil and watercress with garlic. Ask explicitly for very spicy food and you will actually get very spicy food. I don't like how there is a little bit of elitism when it comes to Chinese speakers. I received the "authentic" menu when I went with a friend who spoke Mandarin...well, she spoke Mandarin and we got fresher vegetables. They gave us the authentic menu when we sat down. When I went with my parents and non-Chinese friends, we had to plead repeatedly for the authentic menu. Service can also be miserably slow; we once waited 20 minutes to get a second entree after the first arrived when there was very little restaurant traffic. I'll keep going back until I move out of Ann Arbor because the food is quite tasty and varied and they serve crab rangoons with cheap lunch specials. Crab rangoons, soup and an entree for $6.25? Legendary indeed!
(4)Sarah W.
This is the best Taiwanese food you are gonna find in this area. It's very authentic. My Mom is Taiwanese, and I have lived in Taiwan. What more verification do you need? But the key here is asking for the "secret" menu. If you can't read it (it's in Chinese) ask for the picture book or bring your real Chinese friend. I love the little Taiwanese style dishes, the tea eggs, cold seaweed, cold tofu and soybeans. You have to try the stir fried pork and bamboo shoots, its spicy but delicious. And my most favorite is the beef wrapped in a deep friend flat bread! They also have Boba (pearl tea) here. It's pretty good but they don't have qiu qiu or any of the little things you can add in your drink like in Taiwan. I recommend the Taro Boba.
(4)Tim B.
Food is generally good, but the quality of the individual dish seems to vary greatly depending on the day you come in. I've been coming here for so long, which is a testament to their food, but am a bit dismayed that the staff doesn't recognize me.
(4)Juliet C.
the food here is pretty bland, just home cooking, i could probably make better at home. since moving away from ann arbor i've realized that taiwanese food can be pretty amazing, but they dont have it here... the service is okay, i feel like its better because i can speak chinese.
(2)Tony C.
I was glad to see another place open up besides TK Wu that served authentic Chinese food in downtown Ann Arbor. It was always curious that even though Ann Arbor is filled with Asians, it wasn't until recently that authentic eateries started popping up. This is your typical Chinese restaurant: inconsistent/bad service, crappy ambiance, and gross bathrooms. The food news is the scarier the restaurant looks, that is usually inversely proportional to how good the food is. Items I would recommend: Taiwanese style dumplings, watercress, fried tofu, pancake wrapped beef, and pig ear...yes...pig ear. Don't knock it until you've tried it. It's quite tasty. Word of advice: Bring a Chinese-speaking person with you if you really want the good stuff. It's horrible that it's what's required to know what's on the menu (and what you're eating), but until they make the authentic items more accessible to non-Chinese speakers, it's somewhat a lost cause. You know, it's really too bad. Every single friend I've taken for authentic Chinese food now can't stand the "fake" stuff. In fact, I've had friends call me from their cell phones and then handing their phones over to the waiter at a Chinese restaurant wanting me to order for them. Someone should describe these dishes (in English). Ann Arbor would be a perfect place to do this because I find people in A2 are usually pretty adventurous.
(4)S K.
Consistently good food and not just typical stuff you see at most American Chinese restaurants. Satisfies my craving for some Taiwanese fare.
(4)Ricky K.
okay well... the food might be a lil okay and all but the price was a downright travesty. i can't handle no overpriced food (especially CHINESE food that's supposed to be cheap as hell) as a broke ass college student with no money. i be all "can i get the wonton soup wit kung pao chicken?" and the lady be all "okay honey that be 15.99." Like what the hell is i supposed do? make money out of my bunghole? i ordered a beef fried rice and it was 10 bucks. thats too much money like you aint even seen. if you got money to spare then come here. otherwise, you can catch me that ghetto ass panda express or something ya hurrd?
(3)Melissa R.
Very mediocre. Food portions where great but fried food was overly coated and everything else was very bland. Rating is about 2.5 stars. I won't be back.
(3)Kenan F.
I can't give this place 5 stars because the decor can only be described as ghetto. But that usually speaks to the quality of food which is top notch. Very authentic traditional Taiwanese. We had the cold pig's ear, tofu, seaweed to start. Then the furudofu Chinese watercress (hollow stem veggie), bitter melon with pork, ma po tofu with pork, sauteed eggplant in black sesame paste (sooo tender), chow ho fun (dry and Singapore soup style), beef noodle soup. Would definitely go back. My mouth is watering thinking about that meal...
(4)Helen Y.
There are only two things good about this place: 1) it's close to campus, and 2) its serves Taiwanese snacks. That's pretty much it, but that's enough to bring me back to the place and so it gets three stars. Now what's wrong with it? The chefs really need a lesson on how to cook food. The ingredients are fine - all the right flavors are there. The problem is in the execution. Ninety-five percent of the time, my food is overcooked - which basically means that the carbohydrates are mushy, and the protein is dry. For example, whenever I get anything with rice, the grains are mushed together. If I get a flour-based noodle, most likely the noodle will fall apart when I pick it up with my chopsticks. Their green onion pancake is so tough, I feel like my teeth are going to get pulled out of my jaw every time I bite into it. You get the picture. Another example is their milk tea. They blend their milk tea in a blender - I think to avoid having to put in the energy to mix together the tea with the milk powder. Their black tea is fragrant, which is good. But depending on who you get to make it, you can either have a smooth, frothy drink, or one with the sugar and ice particles barricading through the straw into your mouth. Again - all the right flavors, poorly executed into a sub-par dish. It's really a situation of "so close, and yet so far." If you're craving Taiwanese snacks (like I often do), it's worth a trip. Otherwise, wait until the next time you're in Rowland Heights, CA.
(3)Tina W.
The food here is very good! I would recommend every dish on the menu. The only downside is that their portions are pretty small, yet some of their items are a little pricey.
(4)Chenoa M.
Thumbs DOWN. Greasy and tasteless...... I've had MUCH better. Thanks.
(1)Dave Y.
i dunno what the naysayers are talking about. sure this might not be like THE best taiwanese food in the world, but this is michigan, not LA, or taiwan. this place is pretty damn good. it's not as cheap as food like this is in LA (or taiwan), but it's still pretty decent. and i grew up in LA, and we have tons of taiwanese food there, so i know a little bit about what i'm talking about. the key is to order off the *taiwanese snacks* menu; this is their specialty and some of these stuff is really good
(4)Gene K.
Loads better than TK Wu. You have to go for the "Chinese" menu if you really want to try the good dishes. I used to get their cheaper lunch menu options but there's really no reason to come here for those as there are loads of other Americanized Chinese restaurants in A2. As the previous poster mentioned, the Eggplant/Tofu dish is awesome! My Taiwanese friends all loved this place once it opened. Some other have trashed this place but I think certainly it's one of the best in the area. I think they use lighter MSG than other restaurants in the area (i.e. Lucky Kitchen, China Gate), although I'd prefer that they don't use any. I see it as cheating.
(4)Steve D.
This place is very good. I had the 3 cup chicken, and it is comparable to the ones I had in Taiwan (I'm Taiwanese) and in Southern Cal (where I was raised). The boba tea is another story...
(4)Professional Eater S.
An interesting place - the first time I went I was quite disappointed, but the second time, I figured it out the trick. You gotta order off of the Taiwanese dishes menu. The problem with that is that some of the dishes are not written in English, and the ones that do have English are not particularly descriptive. Talk to your waitress, and choose judiciously - it's kind a gamble, but as long as you're not ordering traditionally Americanized Chinese food, you improve your odds. I particularly enjoyed the Wu-xi ribs the last time I was there (cinnamon!), but I just get the feeling that they have so many dishes they don't do any of them exceptionally well. I still haven't decided if this place is any better than the restaurant it replaced, Kabob Palace, but it's certainly more interesting. I guess even Ann Arbor can only support so many Lebanese restaurants.
(3)Jason C.
I was excited to try this place. Went here tonight for minced pork on rice (Lu rou fan) and the oyster omelet. I had read over prior reviews, so I entered with some trepidation. I can see what other folks have said about the minced pork over rice being bland. I thought it was pretty full flavored. It was a bit under-salted, but I thought it was good. The oyster omelet wasn't that great though. I thought the texture and flavor were fine. I just wish the oysters were fresher. The service was fairly good.
(4)Angela C.
The portion is small, the waitress was rude and the food wasn't that authentic. Will not return.
(2)Jewel L.
My latest experience ordering a takeout from this place was really unpleasant: service wise. First of all, none of the people work there knows how to process a gift certificate payment. They told me I should use a regular card to pay and just wait for next time to use the gift card. Funny to me, this was not the first time they said so, and may I ask when is the "next time" you can figure out how to do it?! So eventually they had to call the owner about instructions since I insisted to use my gift card this time. If you don't accept gift cards, why did you sell it at the first place? Then there was still a small balance due after using the gift card, and I was going to pay with my credit card but was told NO. They felt it's not worth it for them to process a credit card payment for a under $5 balance ($4.35). I had to use cash, and while I was getting my $.35 out of my wallet besides a $5 bill, I was handed a handful of coins as my $.65 change and told to leave. I'm so sorry for being a troublesome customer! I was thinking to use their catering service for an event, but now CONGRATULATIONS you just lost my business
(1)Karina L.
Is there a choice for no star? The restaurant didn't even deserve a single star. We left and my friend on other table overheard the waitress kept complaining us ordering too much water. She even spoke bad words in Chinese and in a very bad manner. All I want to say is that we paid for the water and we tipped you nicely. It is up to us that we choose to drink them or not. Btw, the food is below average and overpriced. I will not return again.
(1)David W.
One star for food serviced here. The other star for it being a runway to show Asian internalized racism.
(2)Tim K.
This place is a hole in the wall in downtown Ann Arbor that serves home made style Taiwanese foods. I'm a big fan of the onion pancake beef roll which is made pretty well here. I also tried their beef noodle stew and beef chow fun. The noodle soup was kind of on the plain side but still tasted fresh. The chow fun was absolutely delicious with lots of flavor. The dishes seem to vary in size from small to large for their price so it's kinda hard to predict how much food to order. I would say the pricing is on the higher side for the amount of food you get but its still a good option if you want homemade style Taiwanese food.
(4)Hanzhe Z.
Wuxi spare ribs: 5/5. Wu Geng Chang Wang: 5/5. Si Ji Dou: 4.5/5. Beef Juan: 4/5, a bit dry.
(5)Lylian D.
Asian Legend is the best Taiwanese restaurant in Ann Arbor. The Bo and I use to go to TK Wu a lot when we were in college, but after trying Asian Legend a couple of times, we decided that Asian Legend was better than TK Wu. The food at Asian Legend is less greasy and salty. Our favorite items to get at Asian Legend are the Fried Chicken Over Rice, Beef Chow Fun, crispy shrimp roll, salt pepper chicken wings, & pork with watercress. The taro bubble tea goes well with the great eats too!
(4)Nancy C.
I ordered some kind of fried chicken lunch special here one time and the flavors were pretty good. The portion size was quite impressive. It lasted me two meals! I also had the onion pancake wrapped with beef one time at a catered event, which was good. Price is reasonable and service is speedy. I am curious to discover what their other authentic Taiwanese dishes taste like.
(3)Yen A.
It's really wonderful to have a location that serves Taiwanese dishes when you can't get them anywhere else. They have salt and pepper chicken, pork buns, lots of authentic dishes. I just wish the service was better. During a weekend evening which is understandably busy, we were told to order quickly. I was still taking off my coat. As we started to talk about the dishes, like maybe two minutes in, another waitress told us to order quickly because the kitchen was going to get busy. I was with my family for an event and there were seven of us. It wasn't like we were going to "skimp" or ask for 7 split checks (like they might be used to with students). I felt like I had to make excuses for their rude service because I'm Asian. But then I noticed they were being curt with everyone around us too. I don't jump at the opportunity to go here anymore.
(3)Q Y.
Recently revisited and their food is still as bad. Given the quality, or lack thereof, the prices are close to absurd after they forced a 20% tip for a big group. Unfortunately the service also makes me regret ever coming back to this place. During busier hours they will literally come over to your table and ask you to leave, after you finished your meal, unapologetically. Be aware, they are pretty stingy about tips. Bottom line: If you want Chinese food? Don't go here, it really makes a bad name for Chinese food. If you want good Chinese food? Ask/Make some Chinese friends who can cook.
(1)Jenny Z.
I've eaten here twice. The first time, I got food poisoning. The second time, I found my dish (basil chicken - san bei ji) so off-putting that I could only stomach about a half of it. I ended up leaving the dish (primarily just a pile of bones with tiny scraps of meat) unfinished. There's not really much decent Chinese food in downtown AA, but I would put Asian Legend near the bottom of the fairly short list.
(1)Mary W.
Good service but just so-so food. Most of the foods don't even taste like real Taiwanese food. Not authenticity at all
(2)Melanie C.
Okay, coming from California, I had no hope for finding a decent Chinese restaurant in Michigan. I would settle for Asian Legend as my go-to restaurant if I were ever craving anything Chinese/Taiwanese. I know some people had had bad experiences here and some dishes were mediocre, but I learned from experience that you should stick to a dish that you know is good here..trust me..I felt adventurous a couple of times and wandered away from my usual dishes, only to be met with disappointment. My favorite and go-to dish to order here is the chow fun with chicken and bok choy, drenched in a thick garlic and egg sauce (don't know the exact name). If you are not a fan of garlic and thick sauces, I would suggest not ordering this because the garlic is quite potent, but otherwise, this flat noodle dish is pretty good. Another dish that I order whenever I'm here with friends is the eggplant with pork and basil. This dish is very flavorful and saucey. Goes well on top of some rice. The eggplant is soft and mushy, the pork is strips, and the basil just captures all of your taste buds. Just beware, if you don't like basil, don't order this dish. Every time I'm here, these are the two dishes I order. Asian Legend isn't what I'm use to eating but it will just have to do, until I go back home to California. Plus, all foods are based on personal preference, so if one person doesn't like a dish, it doesn't mean that you wouldn't like it either.
(3)Hui-yu Y.
Sadly, this is probably the best Taiwanese food in Ann Arbor that you will get (yet). It's very expensive consider the portion is so small, but most of the dishes are alright. Funny thing though. Once I was there with my friends and I had to leave early, so I told my friend to cover for me first and I'll pay him back later. I then tried to walk out of the restaurant and the store owner (the wife of the chef) stopped me cuz she thought I was just gonna dine and dash. I mean, really? My friends were there... I don't know what the heck she was thinking, but obviously in her mind strangers can eat together on the same table. I dunno, don't tell me I'm the weird one :p
(2)Albert E.
Service horrible, waitress just standing around chatting while picking through the veggies they have to snip. Scallion roll with beef was dry and tasted old. Pork chop was too heavily battered and dredged with grease. Seafood noodle soup had very few quality seafood items (shrimp, clam, mussels); imitation crab was heavily used as the filler. Overall portions were small. This place sucks from what it used to be.
(1)Patrick H.
Horrible!! My girlfriend and I were visiting from Indiana and thought this place looks pretty authentic from outside. We thought the price was quite okay, until we saw the teeny tiny portions...seriously? Service was slow, and our waitress gave us the check when we were just half way through our plates! I'd understand if it's 6:30pm and there's a long line outside, but it was around 9pm or so and the restaurant was half empty. Taste was bland, barely edible, we ordered 3 dishes with drinks and didn't even feel full! (We both have normal appetites, my gf even eats less than average girls, so I'm sure it's not because we have large stomaches) The most ridiculous thing happened after I signed the tip. I gave 8% because the service was so bad and rude, then I overheard the waitress complaining to the owner or manager or whatever (the rude old lady other reviews were referring to) about how stingy we were, guess she didn't know we both understand Chinese! Then the old lady came and gave me a lecture about how we should add more to the tip, frankly I was going to if she asked nicely (I don't like being hard on waitresses, I'm the kinda guy who gives really good tip to everyone), but she asked with a very rude tone and diva attitude!! After we explained why we weren't satisfied and made clear we wouldn't change the tip, she looked at us like we are some sort of cheap pricks and told us "I really want my restaurant customers to be high class people, and that's what you should be, and you're not cuz you gave a 8% tip"(those are her exact words). I mean WTF? I gave 8% because I know that waitress has to make a living, it's her horrible service that caused me to give a low tip. Instead of lecturing your customers how about listening to our advice and try to improve your service? You own a Chinese bistro not a Michelin star restaurant, where the hell did you get that diva attitude? And when we were leaving she gave us a really dirty look...seriously? Definitely won't return!!! tl;dr: bland taste, ridiculously small portions, rude waitress, rude owner who will hunt you down if you give a less than 15% tip
(1)Iche C.
Too expensive and the service is not so well. I think there is much better choice given 10-20 budget. Not recommend at all!!!
(1)Michele S.
I am from Taiwan. The taiwanese food here are the worst taiwanese food I have ever tried. We ordered stingy tofu, beef noodle soup, boba, and fried pork chop rice. Stingy tofu: not authentic bc it is not stinky at all. The tofu is way too dry and the tofu is not fresh. U don't taste the tofu bc it is way too thin. Beef noodle soup: it has a weird smell of beef soup like wash detergent. it tastes horrible and the soup base seems to be diluted and I did not taste the beef there. Pork chop rice was mediocre at best. Good portion. Probably the only acceptable item that night. Boba: too sweet and the boba is way to soggy I am really disappointed. The price is on the higher side too. Will not go back again
(1)Huei C.
Visit AA in the weekend and looking for Taiwanese food that Cleveland doesn't have. I like the fact that Asian legend open late. I went there after a late Jazz concert in Kerry town and was there around 10:30 ordering take out. This is my second time eating here. The first time was 3 years ago. I ordered Squid w/ sate noodle soup ($9.95) and Fried Chicken over rice ($8.95). Food is pretty good. Soup is good with sate and basil combing together. The soup base is just exactly the same as what I have in Taiwan. Fried chicken is ok. I think the breading is a bit too thick. If they can put more five spice and pepper and marinate for longer time, the taste can be better. They're quite authentic but not the best taste. For the food itself I give 4 stars. Overall It's 3 stars. It's a little bit over price.
(3)Leslie T.
This place is definitely very easy to miss, but it's definitely worth a try. Full disclosure: I decided to try Asian Legend because I was craving some Chinese/Taiwanese food, so my non-partiality may have been compromised. That being said, the food was still pretty good. I chose the minced pork over rice noodles. It was not as good as how my mom makes it, but it was still good. The flavor was nice and the minced pork wasn't dry. My only complaint is that I wish there was some more minced pork and a little less grease. I ended cleaning the entire plate (and it wasn't a small plate). The service is fast, but that might be because I was one of the first customers there so there weren't many competing orders. The staff is pretty aloof, but not unfriendly. There were two waitresses sitting at one of the front tables peeling vegetables. Some people may be put off by the sight of that, but I actually liked it. It reminded me of my grandma and it made the experience feel a bit more homey. I will definitely return to satisfy my Asian cravings when they come up.
(3)Bob L.
I'm not one to whine about gruff waitstaff, but the service here borders on rude. I've been here many times (and will be back), and I have learned not to expect more than a seldom, fleeting attempt at congeniality from the staff. Certain items (minced pork over rice) can be had for cheap, but in general Asian Legend is one of many downtown restaurants guilty of price-gouging. Save yourself the time: the best affordable item is either the minced pork over rice or the chow fun with egg sauce. Order it to-go. Avoid the orange chicken, unless you're in the market for some astringent (burnt?) bits of peel in your sauce.
(3)Amaryllia L.
This is the best beef noodle soup in A2 which, I know, isn't saying much considering the alternatives. When I first arrived in A2 in August, I tried Chia Shiang ( yelp.com/biz/chia-shiang… ) and I kid you not they served me a bowl of ROTTEN beef noodle soup...literally. It was sour and the lady swapped it out without any apologies, and the new bowl was just spaghetti noodles in some flavorless brown goo. At Asian Legend, the beef noodle soup is the kind that has more of a clear beef broth, which I prefer, rather than the dark soy sauce-y kind. They also use a skinnier, flat noodle that keeps well in the fridge overnight without soaking up all the soup and getting mushy. After almost 9 months here, and frequently driving more than a half hour in search of decent Chinese food, it's nice to know there's a bowl of beef noodle soup close to home when I'm craving some on a cold day. For Michigan standards, this is definitely above average for Taiwanese food. A close second choice for Chinese food for me would be Best China ( yelp.com/biz/best-china-… ) 24 miles away. Unfortunately, I also ordered the watercress with garlic (one of my top 3 favorite veges next to kale and brussel sprouts) and it was a big disappointment. I'm not sure if they went through and lopped off all the leafy parts or what but I swear over 3/4 of the dish were stalks...barely any leaves to be found. Although I do appreciate my fiber, chewing on the flavorless part of a plant gets old quick. A better balance of tender leafy stuff would be appreciated, especially for a dish costing $10.
(3)MC S.
Agree with some other reviews say- It may not be the best Taiwanese food, but come on, it's not Taiwan or LA. Born and grew up in Taiwan till grad school and living in US for 9 years, I keep an eye on possible good Taiwanese food when I travel. I think this place is one of the most authentic Taiwanese small eat place in US cities NOT having a china/taiwan town. Well, it's just hard to find Taiwanese food, sigh...
(4)G A.
Quality: it's OK. Not super savory buy maybe this is how the Taiwanese cuisine is. Quantity: quite decent. Good for two dinners
(3)Yu-Hui C.
Way too expensive. The waiter is rude, trying to convince us order more than we can eat. Dishes are not delicious either. Totally not recommend this restaurant.
(1)Jason C.
Walked in and told them I had 10 people in our party... they seated us quickly, but they decided to put 10 chairs for a table that seated 8 people... WOW... talk about squeezing people into a table! Luckily... we were able to fit comfortably without problems... Their menu was very complex and a maze to get through.... one would need at least 30 minutes to study the menu before one can order food. So, I decided to swing it and order what I typically get from other places.... While some of the dishes were same, I was disappointed in others... Chinese Broccoli became American Broccoli.... very disappointed ChowFun noodles were very soggy and broke off easily... Crab Rangoons were worse then from Chinese Buffet Mongolian Beef - very watery.... has lot of unnecessary vegetables in it... 60 percent of the dish were vegetables and 40% of the dish were meat. For the amount they charge for some of their dishes, the amount is very small. Sadly, it'll be a while before I'll be heading back.... I was disappointed with the quality of the food and service.
(2)Cuong T.
Definitely a FIRST and LAST experience for this restaurant visit. Rude rude rude! It is how I sum up this business. Yes, I'm talking to you old lady owner. You need to do a better job of hosting customers to your restaurant establishment. I was appalled by how rude this lady was when she spoke to her customers. Food was ok but like the other reviewers have stated the portion was on the skimpy side for what they charged price wise. Also, all fried items that they served must be cooked in the same deep fryer because they smelled the same and tasted the same. If I were you newbies skip this joint and try something else. Don't waste your hard earned money on this crappy restaurant. I'll eat McDs before I come here again.
(2)Patrick T.
One of the better Chinese places in a2. Get the eggplant dish. Order off that Taiwanese menu. All of their tofu is very good. The homestyle tofu with basil is delicious. The onion pancakes are tasty as well.
(3)Sally Z.
My friend and I stopped in without prior knowledge about this restaurant and we really enjoyed it. I got Spicy crispy fish fillet. It wasn't spicy at all (to me) but their complementary hot sauce was so delicious. The restaurant has a quiet familial ambiance. Will definitely visit again and try their bubble teas. con-its on the expensive side, even more expensive than Chinatown in Chicago.
(4)Amy L.
I was impressed by this restaurant, frankly, more than I expected to be. The pork belly sliders - not listed in the online menu but pictured on the table - were a revelation. Don't be thrown by the name - the combination of hot and cold temperatures, the sweet and the spicy, were incredible. So why not five stars? Well, if you go for the real Taiwanese and the real Chinese menu options, and show a little gumption, then the food is outstanding. You'll notice a good percentage of folks from those regions of the world in the restaurant, and frankly, that's a good sign (I'm caucasian). But we wimped out and ordered one Americanized dish and it was - blah, frankly. If we'd had the nerve to order what the waitress had suggested, we probably would have raved over it, too, the way I loved the green onion ginger chicken. And the pork belly sliders. Which I want served at my funeral. If they don't bring me back from the dead, nothing will.
(4)CV C.
One of my favorite places in town. If you're expecting to have the typical Americanized so-called Asian, don't look for it here because you'll only find GENUINE TAIWANESE GOODNESS. I've tried the pork chop noodle soup, pork intestines with basil, sliced pig ears, ground pork with rice, sauteed water crest with garlic, fried fish with tofu and preserved veggies, ribs ... (phew! I just realized I tried many dishes here, too many to name them all...) and I was never disappointed. I've lived in and traveled to many cities in the Midwest and can tell you, without a doubt, that this is the best Taiwanese around.
(5)Christina L.
Ah..where to start. Though a little pricier, I think they make many great dishes, and unlike TK Wu and China Gate, they have no dishes that are presented sitting in tablespoons of oil, which is a plus for me! Tip: Ask a server or the owner about the most popular Taiwanese dishes. Dishes about which I have something to say: Onion pancake with beef: Crispy, flakey green onion pancake wrapped around thin slices of beef marinated in a soy based marinade. Has a few slices of raw green onion and hoisin-like sauce. Very good! It's the most popular appetizer. I like to ask for a little extra of the sauce they put inside the roll. Pork and green vegetable noodle soup: Probably the most popular noodle soup. Thin slices of pork and a yummy vegetable (xue cai) in a savory, light-colored broth. Nothing too extraordinary but a safe choice in winter when you want a basic noodle soup. Taiwanese rice noodles: Thin rice stick noodles with beansprouts and green onions, topped with minced pork (stewed lean ground + fatty pork in a savory soy sauce). They tone down the fattiness of the minced pork by mixing in lean ground pork with fatty pork. You might be able to ask them to use all fatty pork if you want really rich flavor and don't mind eating salads for a week after to atone for your indulgence. You can also probably ask for the minced pork over rice with only fatty pork (will probably cost more). Delicious! I could eat fatty minced pork over rice forever. Chow fun with beef: Wide noodles with slices of beef tossed in a savory brown sauce. Pretty standard, safe option if you aren't too adventurous. I like it tossed with additional chili sauce to spice it up. Chow fun with egg sauce: Not quite sure what the ruckus is about this dish, but it's decently popular among Malaysians (? or some other nationality), even though it's not Taiwanese. Wide noodles tossed with chicken and bok choy, covered completely with a thick, light brown sauce with cooked eggs stirred into it. Pork chop or fried chicken over rice: Taiwanese breaded and fried pork chop or chicken (no bones) topped with a pepper mixture with a heaping side of minced pork rice. Crispy and slightly peppery. They use both lean ground pork and fatty ground pork in the minced pork, but if you ask for them to ONLY use fatty pork, holy hell it is wonderfully fatty and full of flavor. Black pepper pork chop over rice: fried pork chop over rice smothered in a delicious, super peppery brown sauce with onions and green peppers. YUMMY. I always see asian guys ordering this. Any of the crispy fish fillets: Decent. These are fried in a light, crispy batter before being topped with whatever sauce you choose (sweet and sour, spicy, ginger + green onion, black bean). My fave is ginger and green onion. I like the sauce on the side so the fish doesn't get soggy by the time you're halfway through! Wuxi ribs: Fall-off-the-bone ribs simmered in a dark, delicious, slightly sweet soy sauce. Very safe choice for the more picky eaters and very yummy. I think this is a good choice for people new to Taiwanese cuisine. Chicken with basil: San bei ji. Chicken (some bones) served in a dark brown, slightly sweet sauce with basil. Eat it with lots of rice :) Probably one of the top 5 most commonly ordered dishes by asian people. Cold noodles with sesame sauce: Holy hell this is awesome. I can't get enough of the sauce. Fish OR intestine with mustard green and tofu: Delicious, but the taste is hard to describe to someone who's never had it. Taiwanese Deluxe Lo mein: Hnngh. Noodles in a very very light brown sauce, basil, a little bit of veggie, and shrimp/chicken/pork. Something about the basil and the flavors they incorporate into this noodle really speaks to me. It's my dad's go-to dish, and I've heard other people comment on how much they like it. Beef noodle soup: It's a tiny bit sweet and the soup isn't as heavy and dark as chinese places. The pieces of beef are usually tender and delicious, but I personally prefer the non-sweet, salty, dark broth. Eggplant with pork and basil OR Eggplant with intestine: Also slightly sweet dishes, but soo good. Comes in a medium dark brown sauce. The braised pork buns are also super popular among chinese/taiwanese people, but I don't get the hype. -shrug- It's a marinated slice of fatty pork with mustard green, cilantro, crushed peanut, and chili sauce sandwiched in a bun.
(4)